Shoe-stretcher



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SHOE STRETGHER. NIL- 358,456. Patented Mar. '1. 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILEY JONES, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

SHOE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,456, dated March .1, 1887.

Application filed July 17, 1886. Serial No. 208,251. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILEY J ONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in ,the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

to in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, showing the inner side of one-half of the last, a side view of the swivelnut 1 pierced by the'hand-screw, and a central section of the bottom part. Fig. 2 shows the swivel-nut and handscrew after being turned from their horizontal position and made ready to operate vertically. Fig. 3 is a'vertical section in the line 00 a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the swivel-nut. Fig. 5 is a view of the ridged 0r roughened surface on-the bot-- tom part of the last. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the toe-piece. Fig. 7 is a view of the 2 5 stretcher as used in lengthening a shoe or boot. Fig. 8 is a viewin horizontal section of the bars F, actuated by the hand-screw.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective mechanism whereby a boot or shoe can be more readily stretched in width, in length, and on the instep.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of various parts of the shoestretcher, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The last is made in the form of a hollow metallic shell and in three parts, A B O. The side parts, A B, are hinged to each other at their rear ends, so that their forward ends can o be forced apart to stretch the forward parts of shoes in width. The bottom 0 is hinged at its forward end to aproj ecting shoulder, D, formed upon the rim of one of the side parts, as A, so that the rear ends of the side parts can be 5 raised from the rear end of the bottom part, 0, to stretch shoes on the instep. Upon the inner surfaces of the side parts, A B, at a little distance from their forward ends,are formed lugs E, to which are hinged the forward ends of two bars, F. The rear ends of the bars F are hinged to the opposite corners of the forward end of the block G, in the rear end of which is formed a socket to receive the for ward end of the hand-screw H.

In the rear end of the last A B G is placed a swivel-nut, I, which is made with only one screw-hole to receive the hand-screw H. The swivel-nut I is kept in place by projections J, formed upon the inner surfaces of the rear ends of the parts A B of the last, and are so arranged, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, that the said swivel-nut will be fully supported whether operated horizontally or vertically.

On the top of one of the side pieces, as A, is an aperture, K, to receive the pin L, pro jecting fromthe inner surface of the convexed instep-cap M, whereby the desired fullness is given to that part of the last when the instep is to be stretched. J

N is an oblong toe-piece, hollow and having a socket upon its inner side to receive the forward end of the handscrew H and swivel detachably thereon. The said toe-piece operates by a reciprocal pressure with the heelbrace O, which has a screw-hole in its upper end to receive and fitupon the thread of the hand-screw H.

P is the ridged or roughened outer surface at the forward and rear ends of the bottom part, 0.

In using the stretcher for widening a shoe, the handscrew H is passed through the screwhole of the swivel-nut I and its forward end is inserted in the socket of the block G. The

. last is then inserted in the shoe, and the handscrew H is turned forward, which forces the socket-block G forward and causes the hinged bars F to push the forward ends of the side parts, A B, apart and thus stretches the shoe.

To stretch the instep, the last is opened to its widest at the toe. Then the hand-screw H, with the swivel-nut I, is turned upward to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the last is closed at the toe, the instep-cap M is put in place, and the hand-screw H is turned, and when its lower end comes in contact with the bottom part, 0, the rear ends of the side parts, A B, will be raised, thereby stretching the instep. To prevent the last from slipping backward toward the heel of the shoe while stretching the instep, the roughened surface P impinges on the insole of the shoe, thereby serving to hold the last in place.

To stretch a boot or shoe in length, the toepiece N is placed upon the end of the handscrew H, and the said toe-piece and screw and the heel-brace O are inserted in the boot or shoe, as shown in Fig. 7. The hand screw H is then turned forward, which forces the toe-piece into the toe of the boot or shoe, and stretches the said boot or shoe lengthwise.

lhe leading principles which differentiate this invention from devices formerly used for stretching shoes consist of the construction and arrangement of the swivel-nut I, projections J, and ridged surface P, as may especially be seen by reference to Letters Patent granted to me June 9, 1885, No. 319,585, and July 7, 1885, No. 321,610.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a boot or shoe stretcher, the combination, with the side parts hinged at the rear ends and the bottom part hinged near the toe, of a swivel-nut placed at the rear end of said stretcher, the said nut being provided with only one screw-hole and with supporting projections from the side parts of the stretcher, whereby, in conjunction with other parts, the said nut, when pierced by the actuating handscrew, may be operated either horizontally for stretching in width or vertically for stretching the instep, as set forth.

2. In a boot or shoe stretcher, the combi- 35 nation, with the bottom part hinged near the toe, of a ridged or corrugated surface on the said bottom part, whereby the stretcher is more firmly held in place While the instep is being stretched, all substantially as and for 0 the purposes described and set forth.

\VILEY JONES.

\Vitnesses RICHARD H. BAKER, J12, BENJ. M. BA KER. 

